1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to clothing, and more particularly to an article of outer wrap clothing for children.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Infants and toddlers are vulnerable to outdoor weather conditions because of their small size and inability to recognize the dangers of exposure to cold temperatures. Accordingly, outer wrap clothing is available for protecting children against exposure to cold temperatures and rain. Examples of such clothing include infant blankets and conventional coats and jackets.
Typically, blankets are used with infants to keep them warm, and are wrapped around the infants and pinned or otherwise tucked into place to protect the infant from cold weather when carried outdoors. However, since infant blankets are not tailored to fit the human form, they are cumbersome and frequently fall open so that the infant is exposed.
Another limitation of infant blankets is that it is difficult to partially open a blanket once the child is brought inside from the cold. Instead, it is necessary to either leave the infant wrapped in the blanket or to completely remove the blanket, with no partially open condition available.
Children are often dressed in coats or wrapped in blankets when carried outside to a car. Once the child is placed in a restraint seat and the car has been heated, it is necessary to open the coat or blanket to prevent the child from overheating. With blankets, there is a tendency for the ends of the blanket to become snagged in the restraint seat making it difficult to remove or open the blanket. Likewise, with coats there is a tendency for the coat to remain closed around the child even after being unzipped due to the restraint exerted by the seat belt extending across the child's chest. Thus, it is frequently necessary to completely remove the blanket or coat before placing the child in the restraint seat, and the blanket or coat must then be put on the child before again exposing the child to the outside. Such manipulation of conventional blankets and coats is time consuming and often cumbersome, especially when the adult responsible for the child is carrying other things or has other tasks to perform.